The Remote Gambling Act (Koa), the law that legalizes online gambling under strict conditions, came into effect on 1 April 2021.

The Ksa confirmed that the operators that meet all the conditions will receive a licence, with the market for online games of chance scheduled to open on 1 October 2021.

Companies are assessed on several factors, including an adequate policy to prevent gambling addiction, whether it is a healthy company that handles player balances responsibly, and if it has a connection to the Central Register of Exclusion of Gambling, among other issues.

A fee of €48,000 ($58,000) is also required, with the Ksa confirming that all 28 applications have paid the fee, with companies successful in obtaining a licence permitted to offer games of chance via various websites.

“The intention of the law is to channel players from illegal providers to legally reliable providers,” said René Jansen, chairman of the board of the Ksa.

“With this number of applications, I trust that there will soon be a sufficiently attractive and varied offer to achieve this objective.”